The Doctors Lied
by the.nerd.voice
Summary: AU Story. Why can't Diana grieve her son? Because he isn't dead.
1. Ready to Go

She left home. She left because he just didn't get it. He never really did though. Her son was gone and he never seemed to care. Just forget about him. That's how he always was though.

Diana folds her clothing, slowly layering them in her suitcase accordingly. She smiles at the picture of she and Natalie when they were both younger. Natalie in her lap as she read her a book. One of the normal times for her. Diana sighs, placing it on top of the clothes before zippering the entire thing closed.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back?" Jane, her mother, has her hands clasped, watching her from the doorway.

She glances up to her, thinking a moment before answering. "No…I don't think I'll ever be ready though. Not in that sense of the word at least." Diana sinks to the bed beside her suitcase, "This helped though. Thank you."

Jane nods, "I'm glad." She moves closer to her, sitting on the other side of the case, but not making any other movements toward her daughter, "Has she called?"

"Who, mom?"

"Natalie. She wrote you a letter, but I opened it…and forgot to give it to you. She's happy…still with her boyfriend. Didn't say anything about Daniel though."

"I didn't expect her to." Diana smiles, "It's okay. I did speak with her. He's…broken, I suppose." She nods a little, "We both needed this. He's finally getting the help he needed and I'm…I'm okay." She grins, "For the first time, I think ever, I'm okay."

"I'm proud of you." Jane's delivery is blank, showing no emotion whatsoever. It's nothing different, she's always been like this.

"Thank you." She nods, "Is the taxi outside?"

"That's what I came to tell you."

Diana glances to the elder woman, "That's kind of important, don't you think?" She watches her a moment, getting up and kissing the top of her hair, taking her suitcase in her hand, and walking from the room.


	2. Home Again

"She was supposed to be here a half hour ago." Dan adjusts his appearance in the mirror, "She's going to know that you dressed me."

Natalie shrugs, "So what?" She glances up from the novel she was reading, "You don't look like an old man for a change."

He looks down at his powder blue polo shirt and khaki cargo pants, "She's going to think I'm going through a midlife crisis." He looks back into the mirror, glancing to his hair, "The dye job was a bit much."

"She's going to think you're finally taking your medication." She smirks, "And you look younger. What's so bad about that?"

"Everything." His glance shoots to the window when he sees the maroon color taxi cab pull in front of their house, can't help but grin from ear to ear. He walks to the front door, opening and stepping through it, "Di."

She glances up, smiling, "Dan…you look-"

"Natalie did it."

"I was going to say nice."

"Oh…Thanks." He nervously reaches behind his head with his hand, "Hey, let me get that for you." He moves to her, taking the suitcase.

"You look like you're in your twenties again." Diana marvels.

Dan shrugs, "Thank Nat for it."

"I will, trust me." She grins, taking his hand, "How have you been? Has your medicine been working well for you?"

"It has. They switched it three times already, but it's helping a lot." He nods, "It's a bit of a role reversal." His tone is guilt-ridden, knowing that he's the reason all it happened in the first place. It was all his word over hers and how he wanted her to remember things. It wasn't logical in the least and he knew that. How could anyone forget a child? That was stupid and the moment she left, it all came pouring back. Dan knew he had to continue on.

"You there?" Diana watches him, "You were somewhere else."

"Yeah. I'm here." He places her luggage down, waiting until they're inside to finally kiss her softly.

Natalie glances up, sticking her bookmark between the pages of her novel, "Glad to see you're on better terms." She smirks, embracing her mother tightly.

"Don't hesitate to point things out." Diana smirks, "Time heals things…usually. For the most part really."

"Yeah." Dan cuts in, nodding, "I've got to finish a draft and then we'll go out to dinner? Is that okay with everyone?"

"Perfect. I've got to catch up with Natalie about things." She nods, holding her daughter's hand.

"Should I be worried?" He watches them.

"Probably a little."

"Alright." He smiles, climbing the stairs. His smile fades when he reaches the top.


	3. Session 27

Doctor Madden pushes the buttons of his tape recorder, "Dan Goodman. Session twenty-seven." He says into the small microphone, having been alerted of the man's appointment by his secretary, "History of depression and addictive capabilities." He leans down to his intercom, setting the recorder on his desk, "Let Dan in." He smiles, standing and moving around his desk, offering his hand when the man walks in.

"I'm a little early. Thanks you for seeing me, Doctor." Dan shakes the other man's hand, taking a seat on the sofa, "Diana is back home so things are much better." He grins.

"That's fantastic. I hope she's doing well?"

"Great actually. Looks younger too. Probably away from the stress of before."

Madden nods, "So, getting back to our session. You touched on a gambling problem you had back in college. Could you tell me more about that…from the expression on your face, I can tell you aren't entirely comfortable with the whole subject."

"Not exactly, no."

"I'd like to remind you that whatever is said in here, stays here. You're under doctor/patient confidentially."

Dan adjusts himself in the seat before continuing, "Fine. I was a bad gambler in college. Now I don't do it. The end."

"Oh, come on. This is to help you. Not me." He shakes his head, "When you come to terms with your past, you can make your future better."

The tall man takes a moment before continuing, "In college, I gambled. A lot. It didn't matter what it was on or how much I had in my pocket, I did it."

"You came from a privileged family, did that just make you want to spend more?"

Dan nods slowly, "Absolutely. I spent everything. If my parents weren't paying for college, I'd probably spend that too."

"How bad did it get?"

"I owed a few million."

"Million? Not thousand?"

"Million. It was bad. That's around the time I learned that Di was pregnant with Gabe. She was scared shitless, but something…I asked her to try and I don't think she was going to get an abortion anyway, but…I had to ask. I swore to her that I'd take care of her. My parents gave us money for a house and everything so that the baby would grow up decently. I spent it. Even spent my house…lost it, but the Shark said-"

"Who is Shark?"

"The man who ran the gambling ring."

Madden nods, "Continue."

"He said I could be rid of it all if I gave something bigger." He catches himself, "So…I don't really know what that was, but he left me alone after a while."

"What was the 'something bigger'?"

"I don't know."

"You've got a bad poker face." He smirks.

"Yeah, but I really don't want to tell you about that."

"Was it your house? Your car?"

"I lost them long before then. It was bigger."

"Bigger than a house?"

Dan glances up, "I have to cut this short. I'm sorry."

"Fine, but remember what I said. There's nothing wrong that can be said here."

"There is, but I can't tell you right now. Not if it would threaten your life." He shakes his head, quickly rising from the sofa and nearly jogging out.


	4. Black and White Photographs

Diana cleans the kitchen, becoming reacquainted with it is more like it. She used to clean it incessantly before as a means of relaxation, so this was enjoyable to her. She glances toward the front door when she hears a hard tap against the door then screeching tires. She really doesn't think much of it, maybe it was the newspaper. Opening the front door, she sees a manila folder on a brick, held in place with a rubber band. Her brow furrows, slowly unraveling the band. Unhinging the metal clasp, she empties the contents on the kitchen table.

Black and white photographs. Nearly ten of them. She picks one up, studying it and finally recognizing the young man in the picture. She moves on to the next one, and the one after that. They were all the same man. She picks up the post-it that was tucked in with them. There was an address. It wasn't too far, maybe an hour, if that.

She has an idea of things, but that couldn't possibly be true. She remembers rushing to the hospital when he stopped crying, remembers the room and how dark it was. She remembers his funeral and scattering his ashes at the beach. He always loved the beach. It's why they never returned.

He looks exactly how she thought he would. The light hair, bright smile, expressive eyes. The All-American boy. Couldn't contest to that really.

She tosses it back onto he table, bringing her hand to her mouth. It couldn't be true…though it would explain so much. It would explain why her soul couldn't hear, why she couldn't grieve.

She couldn't grieve because her son wasn't dead.


	5. Parking Garage

He had to get away from the darkness. That room was so heavy and any other husband, any good husband, would stay. They would hold their wife and comfort her fears, dry her tears. He was no where to be found. He couldn't take it. He had to be alone. Dan runs through the parking garage to clear his head. A quick fix, but it was something he had to do.

Suddenly, a large man steps out of the shadows, clothes lining him as he ran by. He walks above him with a smirk, sitting on top of him, "Danny. Have you missed me?"

"This isn't the time. My son-"

"There is never a bad time when it comes to getting what I want." The Shark leers down at him, showing no fear whatsoever, "I take what's mine. What belongs to me."

"My son is dead." He sobs out, tears finally streaming down his cheeks.

The Shark shakes his head, "It's your payment. Worth what you owe."

"You killed my son?"

"I never said he was dead. There's a real family who can take care of him. Not some poor, blubbering fool like you. Don't write checks your ass can't cash." He stands, still watching him.

"I don't understand."

"He's not dead. I don't kill kids." He adjusts the black leather gloves on his hands before throwing a punch across Dan's pale white skin and dark brown stubble donning his face, "He does, however, sell for big on the Black Market."

"How dare you-"

"You wanted to be rid of your debt, did you not?" Another punch, "It was either killing your wife or taking your son. I realized that killing your wife wouldn't give me any money. She wouldn't have any life insurance and she's too beautiful to kill-"

"You lay a hand on her and I'll-"

"You'll do what? I'm bigger, better, and stronger than you. You'll cower in the corner while I have my way with her." He chuckles, leaving him with what he knows is a broken nose, "You try looking for your kid and you'll be very sorry." The Shark slowly removes his gloves, folding them, and placing them in his jacket pocket as Dan swerves and falls to the ground, "You're a bad gambler." He says over the unconscious man, walking away without a care.

Hours later, a heavy set security guard stands above the young man, "Son? Son, can you hear me?"

Dan slowly opens his eyes, "Where am I?"

"Parking garage of the state hospital. Look beaten up, but I think you may be the guy they're looking for."

"What?" He puts his hand to his pounding head.

"What's your name?"

Dan glances around for a moment before speaking, "I'm Dan Goodman. I'm twenty-five…and I just lost my son." His voice at a whisper.


	6. The Mendozas

John Mendoza made sure he could take care of his family. He ran a company which was starting to branch out. When his wife, Mercedes, had a miscarriage not long ago, he did whatever he could to give her a child to raise. He carries a blond haired, blue eyed little boy in his arm. "Mercy?" He calls, "Come on, baby. I've got something you'll love."

Mercedes slowly steps out from sitting at the dining room table, alone. "Rosie and Lola went out with their friends." She had been eight months pregnant when they told her the fetus died. The baby was a shock, their two other children were just about fully grown. She had grown attached to it though. She wanted it more than anything in the world. She notices the bundled up baby in his arms, "What's that?" She swallows.

"Our son." He smiles. It didn't matter how he got the child, but he knew it would help her, "They said his name is Gabriel at the place-"

"John, I can't-"

"Mercy, it's our son. Our son." He shakes his head, "Now you can go back to wallowing in your self pity or you can be a mother to this little boy. Your choice."

She moves closer to them, uncovering his face and touching the baby's cheek, "How old is he?"

"Eight months old." He nods, "I know he's not like us, but it doesn't matter. He needed parents and we can give that to him."

"Where did you get him from?" She slowly takes hold of the baby, "He's heavy."

"They said he has some stomach problems, so we need to watch it. Was in the hospital for an intestinal blockage not long ago, but they patched him up." He was glad that she didn't catch him on avoiding the subject, somewhat.

"He was an orphan?" Her voice is soft as she studies the baby, walking to the kitchen with him.

John follows her, "I guess you could say that, yeah." He nods, "I don't want him to feel different though. I don't want him to know that he isn't really ours."

"But he is ours." She holds him closely, "He would have been the same age as-"

"I know." He nods, wrapping an arm around her, "But that doesn't matter anymore. We have a chance to do what we wanted. We have a chance to be parents again." He hasn't seen her smile like this in almost a year. It made his heart melt.

Mercy grins, kissing the boy's peach fuzz of blond hair, "Gabriel Mendoza…welcome to your family."


	7. I'm What to You?

Natalie steps through the front door from a hectic day at school, noticing her mother at the kitchen table, which wasn't far from the door. She stands above her, seeing the pictures scattered about, "What's all this?"

Diana hadn't heard her and jumps a little, "Oh it's…I don't know, to be honest." She wipes her tear streaked face. "I know it isn't exactly the thing you want to hear, but…I think it's your brother."

"What do you mean?" She sits near her, putting her book bag down and taking a photograph in her hand, studying it. Natalie slowly glances back to her mother, "Are you…Is this happening again?"

"No, I'm being serious. I think something happened and he was taken. I don't understand it though. Why not? Why would they say something now and not before?" She shakes her head, "All of this, how I am, even how your father is and you…it was all for nothing. Someone took him and made it look like he was dead. Why would anyone do that?"

The young girl stands slowly, "I…I'm going to go to my room." She backs away.

Diana shakes her head, "Please don't, Natalie. I need you here."

"For what, exactly? Your Superboy is alive after all and I'm what to you?"

"You're my daughter." She replies quietly, "He's your brother-"

"You don't even know who that is, Mom. You might want it to be him, but you know he's gone. You saw him dead."

"I never did." Diana glances toward the window and away from her, "Your father made the arrangements because…I just couldn't. He was cremated and we spread his ashes at the lake. He loved the water even though he was so tiny. It just calmed him." She nods, "Just like you. You're the best swimmer I've ever seen, like I was at your age."

Natalie shakes her head, folding her arms, "What now? Are you going to go find him?"

"Well…there's an address that was in the envelope. It wouldn't hurt to go there and see what's what."

"What if it's nothing? What if it's a trap and someone kidnaps you or holds you hostage?"

She smiles, "Why would anyone do that?"

Her daughter shrugs her shoulders, "Why would anyone do anything?" She looks away a moment before moving close to her, "Listen just…if you go, just be careful. Maybe even take someone with you."

Diana glances to her daughter, "I need someone to drive. Could you do that for me? I just need to know. I have to know what all of this is about. If I see the boy…I'll know."

Natalie watches her a moment, "Don't you want to ask Dad to do this?"

She shakes her head, "I don't want him to know what I'm doing. He always blows things out of proportion. Mountain out of an ant hill. Shark out of a guppy."

"Fine." She nods quickly, "We should go before it starts getting dark."

"Thanks." Diana whispers, following her daughter out to the car.


	8. Knocking at the Door

Gabriel leans back on his computer chair, propping his feet on the desk next to the screen, located in the family office. He reads over his term paper that he had just written. Sighing, he sits back up, highlights the text on the screen and deletes it all. "Twelve pages down the drain. Do it over." He slides his hand through his hair, staring at the stark white screen until he hears a knock at the front door. Gabe stands, jogging to it and opening it quickly, "Oh, hey Mom." He smiles.

"I need some help with the groceries." Mercy nods, "Think you could possibly help me?"

"I'm coming." He closes the storm door behind him, "Was it crowded?"

"It wasn't too bad. Wish you came with me though, would have gone quicker." She nods, handing him some bags, "Did you get any of your paper finished?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't happy with it so…"

"You deleted it? My overachieving son, sometimes you have to learn that it's better just to get it done."

"Mom, you know me better than that." He grins to her.

Diana sits in the car parked at the corner with Natalie. They had been sitting there for some time now. Tears spring to her eyes as she stares at the young man.

"Is that him?" Natalie watches him, then glances quickly to her mother.

Without saying a word, she nods, not wanting to take her eyes off of him.

The younger woman bites her lip slightly, "Were you going to say anything? Didn't you want to?"

"I can't." Diana breathes out, "I just have to know how he got here and who sent the pictures and why they sent the pictures and how they knew where to send them to and why me instead of Dan and…" She shakes her head, "There's more questions than answers right now. I'm just glad I know."

Natalie pushes herself up in her seat, "He looks happy."

She nods, "Yeah…and clean. Their house is nice."

"Their house is huge." She sighs.

"Mind if we head back home?" Diana's voice is quiet, disappointed, "I've done all I can today…need some rest." She whispers.

"Yeah. You can do this later." Natalie smiles for her, driving away slowly.


	9. You Knew

Dan looks at the photographs on the table, gathering them up and putting them back in the folder. He walks into the kitchen, standing above the sink, and lights the corner of the envelope with the lighter his father had given to him when he graduated college. He thought of hawking it once, but just never got around to it, thankfully.

Diana catches her husband as she enters the house, "What are you doing?"

He glances up, caught, "Junk mail. Burning it gives me a sense of accomplishment."

"That isn't true. I know about those pictures."

"What pictures?"

"Don't play dumb with me." She shakes her head, "What happened? What was so hard that you gave our son away and put me through years of-"

"I didn't want you killed." Dan replies quietly.

Diana sighs, taking off her light jacket, "Bullshit."

"He's fine."

"You made me think I lost my son. You lied to me." She watches him, "What really happened in that parking lot?"

He hits at the fire, putting it out quickly. It didn't burn much, just a corner. "I was mugged."

"They didn't take any of your money, but they sure did kick your ass."

"I thought we could move on from it."

"Move on from our son?" She almost yells.

Dan has slight tears in his eyes, which is saying a lot because he never liked to show any form of softness when it came to her or their daughter, "You are my world. I worshipped the ground you walked on then and I still do now. I saw how happy he made you when you were pregnant, but we didn't have what he needed. If I didn't give him up, they would have hurt you." He shakes his head, "I wanted you to have Natalie because you deserved to be a mother and I knew they wouldn't take her. You were always a mother."

"We would have gotten through it. He would have been just as happy with us as he is with them."

He looks her in the eye, "You saw him?"

"I went to the address. Natalie drove me." Diana shakes her head, "He looks exactly how I thought he would. He looks like me. He always looked like me, just like Nat always looked like you. Blond hair, blue eyes." She swallows, "You stole it from me, Dan. You made me how I am. All of this…all of it is your fault because it would have never happened had I known he was alive and well off."

Dan shakes his head, "I tried to make it up to you."

"By keeping secrets from me? Especially something so important? You don't get to make those decisions." She watches him, "I hardly know you." She turns away from him, climbing the stairs.


	10. Purpose

Natalie curls up next to Henry in her bedroom. They did this usually. She would just be quiet and he'd hold her. Her father was never truly thrilled with the whole thing, but since her mother was back, she got away with more and more when it came to her boyfriend.

Henry looks down at her, "Where did your mother ask you to take her?"

Natalie starts to laugh bitterly, "You wouldn't believe it even if I told you."

"Does it have to do with your mom?"

"Doesn't it always." She sighs, "My brother isn't dead. He's alive and well. I saw him myself."

"I'm really baked and that still doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know." She laughs again, "I don't have any fucking idea what's going on."

"Uh…okay, neither do I." He kisses the top of her hair, looking down at her, "So tell me what happened."

Natalie goes through the motions of telling her boyfriend about what happened with her mother and her brother and the pictures, "And, as it turns out, I was made for nothing."

"You can't be made for nothing." Henry shakes his head.

"So that it would help my mother heal and forget about him. Since he's back…there's nothing to heal from."

"Nat, your purpose is to be their daughter. Just like my purpose is to be my mother's son. It's no difference."

"My mother imagined him to be alive. Made him up how she thought he would look. Ruined my life, because of him. The reason she was sick, everything, was because of him, Henry. It was because she thought he was dead. He isn't though." Natalie rambles, then stops looking up at him, "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head, "It's a lot to take in. I can understand that."

"You always say that, but it's really hard to understand."

"I know that." Henry rubs her back softly, "I just want you to feel okay." His voice is soft, calming.

"I don't know if that will ever be possible."


	11. Again

Gabe glances through the scrapbook his mother kept of him. Mercy was always meticulous in taking pictures and keeping them together for her children. Especially Gabe. He was her pride and joy. He was her angel. He was the youngest one of the family and he knew he was his mother's favorite, as did his siblings.

There was something not right though. He never looked anything like his other family members and his father used to say he resembled his great-uncle, but he didn't. He knew he didn't. He had blond hair and blue eyes. Nothing that his family had.

His sister once said he was adopted when she was angry with him and they were much younger. He never forgot it though. It made sense if he were. It wouldn't tear him up, because he loved his parents with all his heart, but it would help him figure out who he really was. It would help him discover some of his mannerisms, where his looks came from, maybe even that voice he always heard that no one else seemed to. It was a gentle, woman's voice. Soothing. He remembered that it helped him fall asleep.

A woman who looked like him, was it his mother maybe? She was someone who appeared only in his dreams and he never knew what to make of it. No pictures of his birth, where there were some of his siblings. No pictures of him leaving the hospital or of his first taste of baby food, or of the first few months of his childhood. All things that were covered time and time again with his siblings.

Gabe begins looking at the dates printed on the pictures. The ones where he was told his mother was pregnant with him, they were a few months off from when his birthday was. He was born in the spring and she looked largely pregnant at Christmas time. He removes them from the scrapbook and places them in front of him along with the youngest picture of himself. He turns quickly when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

"What are you up to, nene?" Mercy smiles, gently kissing her son's hair, calling him by his usual term of endearment, "Baby pictures?"

"I was adopted. Wasn't I?" It was more of a statement than it was a question.

"Why would you say that?" Her smile fades and she swallows. He couldn't know. Her husband said he wouldn't ever have to know. She knew she'd lose him if he knew, "You know you're mine."

He sighs, "I wasn't a Christmas baby." He points, "And I don't look like you. I don't look like any of you." Gabe pauses, glancing slowly up at his mother, "I just want to fit into a family for a change."

"You fit in just fine here because you're my baby. I love you with all my heart and like it or not, we're your family. Getting rid of us is not that easy." She brushes him off, quickly exiting the room only to run to her own and sobbing. She was losing her son…again.


	12. Didn't Want You to Know

Dan cries tears that he's had to keep away from them. He sits at his architecture desk, wiping his face. How many more times can he disappoint her? How many more times could he possibly hurt her? She would never forgive him for this and he honestly wouldn't blame her. How could he possibly sell his son? That's essentially what he did. He sold his son because he, himself, was stupid. He was careless. His love was blind for Diana, he'd do anything to protect her, even sell his own son to keep her.

Diana quietly moves into the room, sitting on the small sofa that he had there for when Natalie was young and liked to watch him for a change. She didn't now. She found what he did boring now. Little did she know that's how her parents met. "Tell me." Diana says softly.

His head quickly turns around, glancing to her, shocked that she'd come to him again.

"Tell me why." Her voice is eerily calm considering the situation, "Why you did…all of this."

Dan swallows, "It was out of my control." He whispers.

"Out of your control?" Her anger is starting to rise.

He slowly divulges his story, "He said that either I could live with this and be rid of everything or he'd take you from me…kill you. No questions asked. No begging, no pleading." He swallows, "You're right. Shark was the one that beat my ass that night."

"Because you owed him money?"

Dan nods slowly, "A lot of money. Too much money. I couldn't lose you, Diana. I couldn't tell you because you would want to go find him. If you found him or even tried, he'd kill us all anyway." He looks her in the eye, "You were an amazing mother. I had to give you that chance again. I'd rather us all be alive and moving on than be in the ground."

Diana is silent a few minutes, "You couldn't just tell me he was okay while I was going through all that treatment? Just to say he was fine?"

"I never knew where he was. Shark said he'd be taken care of and I know he'd never hurt a kid."

"That makes me feel a whole lot better." She replies sarcastically, shaking her head.

"I just…Di…I didn't want you to know. I didn't want Natalie to know. Not that she'd want to."

"It isn't all about you, Dan. I would have given my life to keep my son, easily. That's all this entire thing was. It was you being selfish. Not wanting me to know just how far up the creek you were. Our whole relationship…everything we've gone through, is because of a lie. So, forgive me if I'm not exactly thrilled with your explanation."

Dan nods, "Okay." He says quietly, knowing he deserved all that was coming toward him.

Diana swallows, standing and walking to him, softly kissing the top of his head before turning and leaving the room silently. Surprised herself that she didn't make an attempt to smack him, or yell.


	13. Find Myself

The dream again. A young woman with strawberry blond hair smiling down at him. He's had this vision of this woman since he was very small and he has never understood why he was having it. He's never understood why he has always seen her. Gabe slowly stands, walking over to his dresser bureau, glancing to himself. They had the same eyes, the same smile, a few other of the same features too. It was at that very moment that he understood who the woman was. His real mother.

Gabe swallows, quickly flexing in the mirror to at least make himself smile before leaving his bedroom and bouncing down the stairs in his pajama pants.

"So nice of you to wake up, it's nearly lunch time." Mercy smiles, hearing her son and glancing through the door, "Did you sleep well?" She finishes the eggs she was fixing.

"Fine, actually." He runs his hand through his hair, "When you finish that, I need you to sit down."

"Why? Is everything okay?" She moves to him, placing the pack of her hand to his forehead, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, mom." He gently guides her to the seat, "I just wanted to talk about something with you."

"Yes?"

"I'm going to ask you again and I want you to be honest with me because I already know the truth and I need to hear it from you."

"If this is about you being adopted…" She begins to shake her head.

"I know I was. I know what my mother looked like." He swallows, "So, tell me or I'm going to have to go look for her myself."

Mercy starts to tear up, watching her hand tremble slightly on the kitchen table, "I don't know, Gabriel." Her voice above a whisper as she clasps her hands together.

"How can you not know?"

"Your father brought you home and that was the end of it." Finally, some truth. Mercy couldn't believe she revealed anything to her dear baby boy about how he came to be a part of their family, but she knew there would be a time where he would want to know.

Gabe folds his arms over his bare chest, "You never thought to push the issue?"

She shakes her head slowly, "I knew that you were where you were supposed to be."

"What if I was stolen? What if I was found? What if my parents are looking for me?"

"I am your parent. I am your mother, no one else, Gabriel." She says tearfully, "You were eight months when your father brought you here. Your father. We aren't just some people."

"Dad isn't exactly in a legal area of work, Mom. It's the worst kept secret between everyone here. He's in some sort of mafia or something. I don't even know."

"Exactly, you don't know. Now, do you want breakfast?" She rises from her seat moving back over to the stove.

Gabe slowly shakes his head, "No, I'm…I think I'm going to go."

"Go where?"

"Go crazy!" He yells, then shrugs, "I have no idea. I have to find where I came from. If I don't at least try, the nagging within me won't ever stop." He replies quietly, jogging back upstairs.

She waits until he's out of sight to place her hand over her heart, feeling as it skips a beat.


	14. Need to Talk

Diana sits in the car that she had driven herself to the house. That house where she had saw that young man that she knew was her son. She stares at the front door, noticing a wreath made from the fresh cut flowers that had obviously come from the garden.

She slowly climbs out of the car, grasping her clutch purse as she steps carefully towards the door. Able to see through the large window in front of the place, she studies the woman for a few moments. She was older, much older in fact to her, not old enough to be her mother though. The woman appeared to be sobbing, intensely. It was to the point that her whole body was heaving and her face was red.

Maybe this wasn't the right time for this. Though, when would there be a good time.

Diana finally steps to the door, knocking quickly and chewing her bottom lip slightly.

The older woman opens the door, looking at the other, "Yes?"

"Hello, My name is Diana Goodman and…could I possibly come in?"

"Depends. What do you want?" She quickly wipes her tear stained face with her hand.

Di shakes her head, "To talk actually…about the young man living with you."

"My son. What about him?"

She closes her eyes a moment before continuing, "I think he's really my son."

Mercy's eyes widen some, stepping forward and glancing around to see if any of her neighbors were watching. She pulls the young woman in, "Have a seat, please."

"Thank you." Diana smiles slightly, glancing around, "You have a beautiful home." She sinks to a seat at the dinner table where Mercy was sitting before.

"Look, what is it you really want?"

She quickly turns to look at the other woman, "Excuse me?"

"You obviously came here for money or some other bullshit…"

"No, absolutely not." Diana shakes her head, "I just want to see him. That's all. I want to see my son. My Gabriel."

"You just missed him."

"Oh." She bites her lip, "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"I don't." And the tears begin to return to Mercy's eyes, "He said he was going out. He had to find who he was. He set out to find you."

"Then maybe I can catch him." She quickly stands.

"Doubt it." She shakes her head, "You aren't going yet anyway."

"I have to. I have to see if-"

Mercy grabs the small pistol that was in the dry sink in the dining room, holding it to the back of Diana's head, "Stay seated. We need to talk."


	15. Baby Boy

"I think you're making more out of this than it is." Diana pushes her blond hair behind her ear, attempting to sit still.

"Am I?" Mercy smirks, tapping the back of Diana's head with the nose of the gun, "Sounds to me you want my son.'

"I bore him…I held him and I was happy…truly happy." She swallows, rubbing her arms, "My husband…he did an evil thing that nearly cost me my own life, and the life of our son-"

"My son." She pulls Diana's hair back for the woman to look at the ceiling and up at her, "My son for the past twenty years. My son."

Diana nods, "I'm sorry."

"I am who he calls 'mom'. I'm the shoulder he cries on, the cook of the food he eats, the maid who cleans his room, the tutor who helped him with homework-" She shakes her head, "Not you. Me."

"I know."

"Why do you want to talk to my son?"

"I just want to see him…I thought he was dead after. Dan tried to make me think he was dead."

"Why now?"

Diana keeps her face forward, "There were pictures that began showing up at our door. I've been at my parents' house, attempting to get myself together. The pictures started showing up and it was him…what I saw in my dreams and my hallucinations. My baby boy."

"My little boy." She shakes her head, "I lost my daughter. I was nearly completed my pregnancy and before I knew it, she was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't have any more after that. My husband did the next best thing he knew how."

"He stole someone else's baby…"

"He got us a child." She nods, "And you're having hallucinations about my son?"

"About a lot of things, but mostly Gabriel."

Mercy forcefully grabs the back of the woman's hair, smashing Diana's face into the table, smirking as she does it, "My son is of no importance to you." She does it again, "No concern to you." And again, "So get him out of that pretty little head of yours, gringa."

Blood seeps down Diana's face, her eye ready to swell, her nose obviously broken, "He is me. Hate is as much as you want, but you know the truth." She starts to cry, "I just want to know him…I just want to know my baby boy. I want to talk to him-"

With a pistol whip from Mercy, Diana is passed out on the floor, having fallen back on her chair, "Talk so much, you don't know when to shut up. Do you, gringa." She shakes her head, calling her husband.


	16. Three Days

Three days. It has been three days since they've had any contact with Diana. Natalie writes in her diary…

I didn't want her to go away for a change. However, He'll always have her heart in some sort of perverted mother/son sort of love affair. She and I were getting along. I discovered we liked a lot of the same music and that she dressed similarly to me when she was younger. Learned that Dad was a bit of a pothead when he was younger and reminded her of Henry…which is pretty scary to be honest. Though they always say girls go after their fathers, right?

She quickly closes the book when the door to her room swings open and her father peeks his head through, "Hey Nat."

"Don't you ever knock?" Natalie grumbles.

"Have there been any calls or anything from your mother? Mail? E-mail?"

"Dad, does Mom even know how to use a computer?"

"She could learn." Dan nods, shrugging, "Anything?"

"No." She slowly bites her lower lip, "I don't usually say this, but I'm worried about her. She didn't even…she said she was going to go look for him. That I know, but she also said she was going to call often. Three days? I mean…" Natalie shakes her head, "You know what I mean?"

"No," Dan shrugs, "It isn't like she's not done it before." His voice almost distant.

Natalie rises from her seat, setting her book down, and walking closer to the doorway, "What aren't you telling me, Dad?"

"Nothing." He leans off of the door, starting to walk down the hallway.

"And you're a terrible liar."

He's quiet a few moments before turning around to look at her, "I have to go find her. I have to do it alone. I can't put you in that kind of danger."

"Danger? What danger?"

"The life your brother was put into isn't exactly the safest place for us. Especially your mother."

"I don't understand." The girl shakes her head, watching him, "Dad, what aren't you telling me?"

"Later." Dan nods, walking to his bedroom to gear up in an attempt to protect himself against these people he once knew and hoped not to know again. That was all about to change.


	17. Ice Chips

The older man opens the trunk door to his SUV, sitting next to the sleeping body. "I'm sorry. It was a different time then, but it was his fault. I wouldn't have killed you…that's a lie. I would have at least thought about it." John Mendoza looks down to Diana, he had drugged her so his wife would think she was dead. "You got what you came for. You know he's alive." He swallows, "So now you do what you need to do, but you don't come around my wife again." He pins an envelope to her torn blouse.

The Shark slowly lifts the woman with a grunt, "I'm getting too old for this." He says to himself, carrying her to the front door and ringing the doorbell before jogging back to his car. He smirks, looking the house up and down again with a nod before climbing into the driver's seat and driving off.

Natalie bounces down the stairs from her room and opens the front door, glancing out before she looks down, seeing her mother. "Mom." She whispers, "Oh God, Mom." She opens the door, slowly dragging the woman into the house. Natalie takes notice of her torn clothes and bruised face and arms. She lowers herself to the floor, holding her mother in her arms, "Please, Mom, wake up."

Diana begins to groggily open her eyes, but it's obvious that she's in pain, "Natalie." She begins to cry, her hot tears stinging her sensitive face.

"You're okay. You're home." Natalie whispers, pulling her cell phone from her pocket and calling Emergency services. She details to them the situation and hangs up, just looking at the woman who birthed her, "What do I do? Are you hungry?" She shakes her head, "That was stupid." She says to herself."

"Water." Diana whispers, her high amount of pain causing her body to be numb, "Ice."

"Okay." The young girl nods, "I can do that. I have to leave you here though."

"It's okay. Nice and cold on the floor."

Natalie smiles a little, getting a cup full and taking it back to her, placing a sliver of crushed ice in the woman's mouth. She then sits back on her folded legs, studying her mother again. Then it dawns on her. This was the very first time she had ever taken care of her mother. It was always her father doing the dirty work when it came to Diana, but this time…she was more worried than he was. Oh God, her father. She picks her phone up again, attempting to call him, only getting a message, "Dad, It's Natalie. Mom showed up here…she's pretty bad off. I called an ambulance…I think I can hear them outside, so I got to go. Bye." She closes the flip phone, hearing the faint sound of sirens.


	18. The Light of Day

After the rush of the Medical Technicians, Nurses, Doctors, Diana finally had a hospital room. She was due more surgery, but her condition was stable for the time being. Numerous intravenous lines run into her arms, but she finally looked like she wasn't in pain. Natalie stands at the window next to her mother's bed, watching the parking lot and the park nearby, honestly worried about the woman.

Diana tries to clear her throat with a groan, glancing around, "Natalie." Her voice quiet, but raspy.

She turns quickly to the woman's bedside at a flash, "Yeah, I'm right here." Natalie begins to chew her lip, holding onto the metal side rail of the bed.

"Where's your father?"

"I don't know." She shrugs, "I called him…a few times. He went out looking for you, maybe he doesn't have service, maybe his phone died. I don't know." She swallows, "But I'm here."

"Yes, Thank you." Diana puts her hand over Natalie's fingers, "Thank you for everything you've done."

Natalie nods a little.

"Come here." She pats next to her on the bed.

The young woman lowers the rail, sitting on the bed and looking to her woman.

Diana pulls on her daughter's shirt for Natalie to lie down next to her, which she understands and does gently, "Everything is going to be okay." She says quietly, pushing a stray piece of hair from her daughter's face with her nail, "Your father will hear your messages and see the light."

"Okay." Natalie replies softly, willing herself not to cry.

"Did they touch you? Did they hurt you?" Her tone soft, caring.

This was a change. Her mother was actually acting like she gave a shit about her. Natalie shakes her head, "No…they just kind of dropped you off…whoever it was."


	19. Two Hundred Dollars

He was not going to allow his family to be changed in any way. He wasn't going to let someone, or something, barge in and change the entire dynamic of how things worked. He just wouldn't. Dan sits in his silver compact car, hands on the steering wheel. He stares forward a few moments before glancing down to the passenger seat. A magazine covering his .44 Magnum Colt Anaconda that he had in his possession in case something like this were to ever arise. He bought it when he was just a kid in college.

"Yeah, I'll uh…take that one? Is that a good one?" A twenty-something year old Dan Goodman stood in a pawn shop one of the few in Portland at the time.

"Look, kid, I don't give a shit how 'great' something is. I just sell it." A rough looking older woman, her face a leather map to her life, stood before him, "Either you buy it or you don't."

He nodded a little, "How much?"

"Six hundred. It's custom." Her voice was like she swallowed gravel.

"Thought you said you didn't know."

She shrugged, "I lied. I can tell you this, that piece of shit gun shop down the street isn't going to have anything this powerful. Sure, they'll have the ammo, but it's against the law for them to sell anything this powerful."

"So, why are you able to?"

"Because I label it as a collector piece." She nodded slowly, smirking, "Which it is really. Pretty old."

Dan watched the woman, "Six? Can I get you down to-"

"How much you have, kid?"

He swallowed, "Two hundred."

She thought a moment, looking at the gun again, "Look, I'll give it to you. Promise me something though."

He nodded, staring almost blankly at her.

"Don't do anything stupid. Give it to someone who can appreciate it or collect it yourself." She watched him, "You look like a good kid. If I hear you shot someone with it, I'm ratting you out. Got it?"

Dan nodded again, dumbfounded almost.

"I mean it." She wraps the gun up tenderly, putting it in a bag for him, "Don't do anything you would regret."

Dan shakes his head, taking himself out of his flashback of a daze. He looks down the metal once again, picking it up and feeling it's weight in his hand. He looks through the window again, seeing the young man he knew was biologically his son. His mouth curls up into a snarl when he forcefully opens the car door.


	20. Housecalls?

William Madden walks into the hospital room of his patient, Diana Goodman. A smile on his face, "Diana." She was asleep and his time was short.

Diana startles awake, glancing to him, "Will." She grins, "You're making house calls?"

"Only for the patients I like." He nods, "Heard you were pretty banged up. I didn't imagine this." He takes each of her bruises in, the deep purple with yellow accents around her crystal blue eyes, the small butterfly bandages along her cheek, the blue tint to her jaw. Each of her porcelain features were stained with bruises or held together with bandages, "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling? They gave me medication for that when I got here." She smiles.

Her perfectly polished pearly whites shined through her chapped, split lips. He knew she was fine. They had a different relationship. She was the most complex patient he ever obtained and he forged a bond with her that some doctors may call unethical, but it was comfortable for them. She wouldn't have trusted him with every bit of information if they weren't. It caused him to care deeply for her. Not in any sort of romantic sense, but he'd be lying if he said he had no feelings toward her. "I'm glad you're in one piece."

"Me too." Diana nodded slowly, "I made Natalie go to school. She's been here with me the past few days. It…I think it hit her harder than it hit me…no pun intended with that." She shook her head, glancing to him.

"And have you been seeing your son?"

"Well, funny story." She attempts to adjust herself in the plastic bed with little to no success. She smiles to him when he helps her, "Thanks." Diana watches him, "So, funny story. I saw him. I met his adoptive mother."

"So it's true?" He grins.

Diana nods, "Very. He's alive and happy and taken care of as far as I know."

"Then how did you end up like this?"

"From them, but I don't blame them. They were only trying to protect him…I'd do the same if the situation presented itself."

Madden watched her, tilting his head to the side, "The mother or the father?"

"I think the mother, but I can't be entirely sure. I don't remember it really. At least, not clear enough to make any sort of police statements or…any conclusions."

"Did you meet him?"

"I didn't, but…something makes me think he might be looking for me. Is that odd?"

He shakes his head, "Not at all. Not in the least. What makes you think that?"

"Just a feeling and the way she reacted when I was asking her about him." She nodded, "That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Very good, I suppose, in a way." He smiles, taking hold of her hand, "It wasn't completely fantastic, you shouldn't have ended up like this."

"Wounds can heal…Wounds like this, at least."

"Have you spoken to your husband?"

She shakes her head, "No. He hasn't come here either." She tucks a stray hair behind her ear, "I don't know if I want him here."

"Why?"

"He lied to me. He lied to me about everything I thought I knew." She shakes her head, "I can only imagine where he is right now…except I can't because I have no unearthly idea. It's like I married a stranger."

Will nods, "I understand."

"I feel betrayed…He should have known that I'd give my own life for my child…either of my children. For him to make a decision like that is…plain stupidity and…neglect on his part. None of this would have happened to me if he had only told me the truth." She swallows, "Didn't we go over this already?"

"We did, however, things have changed and I like to ask them after a large event occurs."

"I see." Diana nods, squeezing his hand, "I'm glad you're here, Doctor Madden."

Will pauses a moment before quietly responding to his patient, "As am I, Diana."


	21. Cursive Scribbles

Natalie writes in her usual cursive, notes inside her binder. She bites her lip, walking out after the bell rings, signaling the end of the school day.

Henry waits at the bus port, sitting on a concrete divider, "Did you take the long way around?"

"I saw you through the window." Natalie motions to the large row of windows, "It's not really a surprise."

"I haven't seen you around...you've been absent a lot or something?"

She shrugs, walking quickly and tugging her bookbag to her shoulder more, "Mom is home and...I've been taking care of her."

"Like the last time? Does she remember you?"

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it?" Henry tilts his head to the side, "I mean, it can't be worse than having your brain shocked, right? She didn't remember anything...even thought I was your brother, remember that?" He shrugs, "I felt bad for her...felt bad for you too."

"No." She sighs, shaking her head, "Nothing like that."

"Then what is it?" He motions to his car, "Come on, I'll take you home. Didn't drive all the way here for nothing."

"We live down the street."

"Even better." He smiles, "Come on."

Natalie gives him a look, then walks with him, "Your car is total shit, you know."

"It gets me from point A to point B. I can't ask for much more...and I can smoke at the park without getting caught."

"You can smoke at home without getting caught."

Henry smiles, "True. Very true, but.."

"I can walk." Natalie nods again, walking away from him.

The young man sighs, throwing his hands up, watching her.


	22. Beginnings

The rain poured that fall. More than it seemed to have come down in years. No end in sight. For Portland, that was saying a lot.

Diana sat outside the coffee house, under the awnings. The cigarette smoke billowed around her golden hair. The papered covered tobacco fit between her slim, perfectly manicured nails so naturally. Like she'd been smoking all her life. She blows smoke rings to keep herself occupied before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Those things will kill you." A tall, dark haired man looks down to her.

Without glancing up, she replies, "So will all the pot you smoke."

"Ah...what makes you think I smoke anything?"

"My nose works." She raises an eyebrow.

He snorts, sitting at the same small table, "Raining it's ass off out here."

"It's Portland. It's expected."

"True." He sits there, glancing through the side of his eye toward the woman, "Hey, I was heading over to the bar...you can smoke in there, get out of this rain. Care to join me?"

She chuckles a little, "Is this your attempt at flirting?"

"I..." He shrugs, "Maybe?"

"It isn't going very well." She stands putting her cigarette out, "But I find you interesting and desperate, so let's share a beer or something."

The young man jumps up from his seat, "I'm...I'm Dan, by the way."

She smiles, nodding, "Diana."


	23. Gabriel

Gabe stands before the man, looking into his deep brown eyes then back down to the barrel of his pistol. "Look...Mister, please. I don't have anything to give you."

Dan studies the young man, "You want to ruin my family. You want to kill my wife and you want to take it all from me. You...you single handed want to do that. My relationship is-"

"Wait...wait a minute-"

The older man stops his triad, seeing his wife's crystal blue eyes in the young man. Seeing his wife in general in him.

"Are you...Sir, are you Dan Goodman?" The young man asks, Gabe pushes his hair back with a free hand, "Would you...would you mind putting the gun away? Please?"

Dan walks toward the young man more, not bothering to lower the weapon, or maybe not able to, "Why are you doing this?"

"I think there was a mix up at the hospital or something. I don't want to wreck anything. I just want to know who I've been seeing." He shakes his head, "Please, sir..."

"How did you know my name?"

"I've looked things up. I've...I think you're the guy. I think you might be my biological father."

"Gabriel, You shouldn't know that." Dan replies quietly, his hand slowly falling to his side as he drops the gun, "Now she's in danger."

"Look, I don't know who you're talking about, but no one would hurt this person..."

"Your mother. They threatened to kill her and..." He shakes his head, tears beginning to form in his eyes, "Damn it."

"My...Take me to her. Please? Could you do that for me?"

Dan shakes his head still, "Why would I do that?"

"They won't hurt her."

"I don't know where she is."

Gabe sighs, "How can you not? Isn't there anyone you can call?"

"Natalie, maybe. She's...she's your sister."

He nods slowly, smiling. He walks over to the other man, wrapping his arms around him, "I just want to know you. I have my family, but...I need to know you." He pushes him away a moment to look him in the eye.

Dan nods slowly, defeated, "I can at least do that for her." He removes his phone from his pocket, turning it back on. He required silence while driving in the car. He immediately notices all the missed calls and then the texts from Natalie saying her mother was in the hospital, "Get in the damn car. They already got to her." He motions.

"Who?" Gabe shakes his head, jogging to the car and tossing the book bag he was carrying to the back seat. This was a life he felt he was supposed to live and he could feel it. He knew this man was his biological father.

"Shark." He starts the motor, tires screeched as he pulled away from the curb.


	24. Shaving

"Mom, you really should let me help you with this." Natalie watched her mother attempt to shave her legs, attempting to ignore her broken ribs, "Actually, why do you even care? Not like you're going to wear shorts or anything anytime soon."

"It's...I find it more comfortable." Diana obviously struggles, but is completely determined in doing what she was attempting. She leans back, trying to catch her breath.

"Let me finish for you? Then we'll get you back to bed."

"Don't cut me. I've seen your legs." The older woman teases, stroking her daughter's hair as she gently shaves her mother's legs, "I'm sorry, Natalie."

"For what?" Natalie smiles, "This isn't even anything."

"For...just for everything. For not being there and for making your life harder." She swallows, groaning at her side when she leans to the side slightly, "Are you still seeing that boy? You haven't brought him around lately."

"Would you rather HE shave your legs?"

She smiles, "Don't make me laugh, it still hurts when I laugh."

"It's no big deal, Mom." Truth was, Natalie didn't mind it at all. It was the first time in her entire life she actually cared about her mother and knew her mother needed her for something. "You okay, so far?" She finished up, wiping the lotion from her newly smooth legs.

"Peachy." She leans on her daughter as she helps her walk back to her bed, "Any word from your father?"

"Mom, he hasn't called or anything in like..." She shrugs, "In like a month. I don't know what he's been doing or who he's been with. I don't care."

"You need to care, Natalie."

"He abandoned us. He abandoned you when you needed him most."

Diana shakes her head, "I already had my chance. I ruined it, but...I think this is on him this time."

"Do you know where he is? Where he could be?" Natalie swallowed, rubbing her arm after lying her mother on the bed.

"I'm sure he's fine." Her mother reaches up, taking hold of her hand, "Slumber party again tonight?"

The young woman smiles, "You know, watching television and eating popcorn late at night in bed with my mother..."

Diana's smile fades ever so slightly, it wasn't about being alone to her. It was about knowing Natalie was safe. Safety was a thing she just couldn't take for granted anymore, "Please, Nat?"

"I was going to say, I wouldn't have it any other way, but..." She shrugs, "Let me go put on my pajamas?"

"Be quick." When her daughter bounces from the room, Diana slowly takes hold of her handheld mirror, looking at the ugly bruises covering her face. Even if Dan came back at that exact moment, she wouldn't want him seeing her like this. She swallows, the dreams and the depression were starting again. She probably would never see her son again since she could barely move, and was afraid to do so. Diana returns the mirror and turns on the television, waiting for her daughter.


	25. Every Waking Hour

The hospital told them the patient had checked out days before. Had Dan actually been away so long? He climbs back into the truck with his newly rediscovered son.

"Sir, I don't really..." Gabe sits back in the seat, "What the hell is Shark? I mean, I know what a shark is...the big fish thing, but I don't think that's what you're talking about."

Dan swallows, looking out the side window as he drives, "Don't worry about it."

"I have to worry about it because, as you said, they've apparently got your wife...my mother. They apparently got to my mother."

"Shark was..." He pauses, taking a deep breath, "The guy who took you from us." The story of his past spills out of him like water and soaks into the young man like he is a sponge.

Gabriel nods after a few moments of the other man rattling a story off that would probably best be suited for some sort of soap opera before speaking, "So, from what you're telling me, you owed a lot of money. As a trade off, you gave me to him."

"Not at all." Dan shakes his head, "They took you from us. Said they'd kill Di if we went looking for you."

"That easy, huh?"

"Easy?" He stops at a red light, "Your entire existence, or lack thereof, caused my wife to attempt suicide. It's caused my family to completely spiral out of control because she couldn't get rid of the feeling that you were still present with her. We had Natalie to try to...not take your place, but to give her another child to be a mother to."

"I have a sister?" He smiles a little, "How did that work?"

"It only made things worse."

Gabriel sighs, "I don't understand why you couldn't just tell her the truth."

"She would have made it her life's mission to get you back. To find you, and take you back." Dan shakes his had, "I couldn't risk that. I figured it'd be easier if she just thought you were dead."

"What about you?"

The truck became silent as he began driving again, "What about me?" He asks after a few moments.

"Did you ever regret not..." The younger man shrugs, "Did you regret not going after me? Not looking for me?"

Again with the uneasy silence, almost like Dan was attempting to search for the right words, "Every waking hour of my life." With that, he roughly pulled up into a driveway.

The house looked familiar to Gabe, even like he'd been here before. He smiled at the gentle breeze blowing against his cheek. Things were about to change, and he felt it.


	26. Not Angry

"Diana!" Dan raced into the house, checking the bottom floor in search of his wife.

Gabe followed close behind his biological father, glancing around the beautifully architectured house. All the glass and wood seemed to bring nature directly into the house. It was calm and soothing, with undertones of hostility. No pictures of family, not like his home. No pets. Just nothing. Beautiful, yet so sanitized.

The other man races up the stairs, looking through the rooms once more until he finally gets to his wife. Standing still for a moment as he just stares at her. Broken bones, and skin that was now shades of lavender and yellow, ugly yet healing.

Natalie notices him, standing and storming over to the man, "Why are you here?"

"I...I just got your messages. I had no idea." He swallows, catching his breath and shaking his head.

"What for? Mom was...she was...well, just look at her, would you? It was worse than when she..." The young girl tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Tried to kill myself. You can say it, you know." Diana says from her place on the bed, just watching them, "Natalie, he's fine. I'm not angry."

"No, but I am." She replies.

Gabe finally finds where Dan had so frantically run off to, stepping through the doorway, "I saw you run up-"

"Gabriel?" Diana's eyes widen and she tries to get out of bed.

He steps over to the woman he had seen in his dreams for all of his life, "You are real." He whispers, kneeling next to her.

The older woman has tears in her eyes, "I knew it." She smiles, "My sweet baby boy."

Gabe nods, "I think so."

"I've missed you so much." Diana swallows, her voice heavy with emotion.

"Who beat you up?"

"It doesn't matter." She shakes her head slowly.

"Yeah, it does." Dan nods, "It was those people that stole you. Shark. It was him and his boys, I bet."

"It was a woman, Dan." She says softly, "Over the past week, I've been getting some of my memory back."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Natalie steps toward her mother.

"I didn't think it was important." Diana shakes her head, stroking Gabe's hair, "Oh...Gabriel, this is your sister, Natalie. She's...Not much older than you. Two years." She nods, "Natalie...I...this is Gabe and...and he isn't dead."

"Well, what a relief that is, right?" Natalie replies sarcastically, storming from the room.

Dan sighs, stepping to his wife and sitting near her, "I'm glad you're okay." He nods.

"I don't matter right now." Diana shakes her head, "After Natalie unlocks her door, let me know. I want to talk to her."

"You got it." He replies.

Gabe can't stop smiling. His life finally felt complete. There was something about this woman that he knew he had to take care of her. Of course he loved his mother...the woman he called his mother, "Wait." He thinks to himself, but says it out loud, looking to her, "You said a woman beat you up?"

"Yes, but really, Gabriel, it doesn't matter." She says quietly.

"Please, call me Gabe." He nods, then continues, "Was she short, a little stocky, dark hair, olive skin..."

"That...yeah, why?"

"Because I think it was my mother."


End file.
